Good Clean Fun
by ukexchan
Summary: A socially awkward Kakashi tries to get close to Iruka. Lemon. YAOI! Complete.
1. Chapter 1

It had been a long day. The missions room seemed to be more busy than usual, and everyone seemed to be in an especially bad mood. Maybe it was just that time of year. Dealing with one moody jounin was like slamming your head against a brick wall repeatedly. Dealing with more than you can count on your fingers and toes since they all seemed to come back from missions at the same time today was like laying down and letting a semi roll over your face… repeatedly. And to top it all off Konahamaru had given Iruka a headache during school hours. Sometimes Iruka was convinced that the kid was even worse than Naruto, and most definitely louder. Yep. Long day.

Iruka sighed, glad it was finally over. He grabbed up the reports he hadn't read yet along with the papers he'd have to grade, and walked toward the door. He didn't quite make it though. There was a miscellaneous scroll on the ground hell bent on making Iruka fall on his ass. How rude. What had ever done to the evil hell scroll? His day wasn't getting any better. He stumbled forward trying to keep his balance, and hold on to his papers. He had to have looked ridiculous. His feet were having a hard time staying under him, and it looked like gravity was going to have him beat, when the door opened, just in time to hit Iruka in the face sending him stumbling backward now. Great. He was sure he was going to fall backwards, and all his papers were going to fly everywhere, but just as he finally gave in and began to let himself fall there was a hand on the small of his back, supporting him, preventing him from falling. Iruka breathed a sigh of relief, and turned to look at his savior. "Thank y—" Iruka paused. He was greeted by a happily curving eye and a masked face. Iruka's day was definitely not getting any better.

Kakashi nodded in response to Irukas half thank you, resulting Iruka blushing at the realization he hadn't even properly thanked the man. "Welco…." Kakashi offered. Purposely not finishing the word.

"I—Um, I'm sorry Kakashi-san. Thank you for your help." Iruka stuttered out. Kakashi's eye remained the happy curve, his expression unwavering. His hand began to rub calming circles on the small of Iruka's back, Kakashi was getting dangerously close to groping Iruka's ass, though Iruka was sure that was just an accident. Kakashi probably just misjudged the height difference. Iruka tried not to notice he was almost being felt up. Kakashi was just trying to calm him down… he was failing miserably, and the opposite reaction was what he was getting, but it's the thought that counts.

"You're more than welcome Iruka-sensei." Kakashi drawled out still smiling cheerfully. "I'm glad I caught you."

Iruka looked at him a bit confused. _Glad you caught me? What did you _plant _the hell scroll?_

Kakashi took note of Iruka's confusion and clarified. "Here. Glad I caught you in the missions room so late. It's after hours." Kakashi's eye reverted to its usual bored stare, and he raised a knowing eyebrow. Iruka just blushed.

"Oh. Of course." Iruka forced a chuckle that sounded more like a cough than anything, he was becoming more uncomfortable by the minute, and Kakashi's hand continued its 'soothing' caresses. "Er… What is it you wanted?"

"You." Kakashi answered simply, watching Iruka carefully; he seemed amused. Iruka just stared dumbfounded.

_Me? He wants me?! Is this some kind of joke?!_

"I need you to help me with my students." Kakashi said slowly. His eye looked bored, but Iruka could hear the laughter in his voice. He had to be doing this on purpose. The pervert. Iruka nodded trying to look indifferent.

"If you don't mind it's been a long day, maybe some other time?" Iruka asked, now just trying to get away from the jounin.

Kakashi nodded. "Of course. Why don't you come over for a cup of tea, and we'll talk about it." Iruka gave him an uncomfortable look, but Kakashi just smiled. "Take a quick break from your work Iruka-sensei. It's just tea." Kakashi said in a voice way too innocent, and as if to accentuate the lie his hand temporarily slid a bit too low, and Kakashi pulled his hand away as if nothing had happened.

"Kakashi-san, I really—"

"You really need a break." Kakashi interrupted. "It's just tea. You can even grade some papers while we talk if you're that opposed to relaxing." Kakashi smiled at him, and Iruka knew there was something up, but he was out of excuses, and didn't really feel like arguing the point when he knew he was going to lose anyway.

"Okay." Iruka said at length. "But I really can't stay long."

Kakashi nodded. "I wouldn't dream of keeping you." With that Kakashi turned on his heel and began the walk to his small apartment. As if by habit, he pulled out his little orange book and began to read. Iruka felt as though he was invisible. He was pretty sure he could have turned around and walked away, and Kakashi wouldn't have even noticed. Just when Iruka decided to try it, however, Kakashi spoke. "You said it was a long day?"

Iruka was blatantly confused. Why the hell would Kakashi care? He probably didn't. It was probably just small talk. Iruka was obviously uncomfortable. He decided to play along. "Uh, yes. It was. The missions room was busy, and Konahamaru is Konahamaru. I've had better days."

Kakashi nodded. "Kids."

Iruka looked at him and smiled. "Jounin." Kakashi actually looked away from his book. Glancing over at Iruka, his eye wasn't curved up cheerfully, but Iruka could tell Kakashi was amused.

Finally Kakashi agreed. "Jounin." He nodded. "We're probably worse."

Iruka didn't press his luck, and comment on he _knew_ jounin were worse… much worse. But he thought it so loud he was pretty sure Kakashi heard it. There was a short silence before Kakashi stopped walking.

"We're here." He said simply, and Iruka looked at the building before them. It was remarkably unremarkable, and that bothered Iruka, though the building seemed to suit Kakashi in that sense, an oxymoron. Iruka shrugged, and followed Kakashi up to his apartment. Kakashi opened the door, which Iruka noted was not locked, though there were hand seals performed, so he was fairly certain it had been trapped.

Inside was even less remarkable than outside. Iruka had always thought that a person's home gave a good indication of what that person was like. Looking around Kakashi's apartment, he couldn't have felt more wrong. The place was dull. It was almost barren. There was a picture of his team, and that was the only personal thing in the place. It was also just too clean. Not the kind of clean that was too clean because it had just been cleaned in preparation for company. That left the smell of cleaners and artificial scents in the air. There were also things that people just didn't clean, like the ceiling. But Iruka was convinced that the ceiling had been cleaned. And there was no dust. Dust was something even the cleanest person couldn't control, there was no dust in the place. It was awkward. Especially considering Iruka knew Kakashi had dogs. Iruka was tempted to ask if Kakashi actually lived here. There was nothing that suggested he did. There was barely an furniture, the place was empty. Hotel rooms seemed to have more personality. It was strange.

"Tea?" Kakashi asked. Iruka nodded, and tried to refrain from being rude, and staring around like he was appalled. "You can take a seat." Kakashi gestured toward the couch. "Or you can come sit in the kitchen if you'd prefer…" The last part made Iruka indescribably uncomfortable. Kakashi actually sounded nervous about that.

"Um, sure. I'll sit in the kitchen." Iruka replied. He wasn't sure why he had said that. Kakashi's voice obviously told him that he wasn't exactly welcome to come in the kitchen, but Iruka couldn't help his curiosity. He followed Kakashi into the kitchen, and sat down at the table. Even the kitchen lacked personality. Everything was white. Just like in the front room. It was all white, and plain, and lacked any sort of personality. The only thing that suggested someone even lived there was the fact that it too was too clean. No dust, no nothing. Just clean. Kakashi put a pot on to boil, and brought out the dishes. For some reason it surprised Iruka. He should have expected it by this point, but he hadn't. The dishes were all plain white and in perfect condition. Not a scratch or a nick on them. Iruka had just assumed Kakashi would be the type to have mismatched dishes of varying shapes, sizes, and obnoxious colors and designs. In fact he had expected everything that had anything to do with Kakashi to be like that really. This was nothing like what he had expected.

Kakashi sat down across from him, and they had a short talk. The tea was made, they talked a bit more, made plans to meet up in two days, and train Team 7. It had all been rather simple. There was a bit of awkward small talk before they got down to business, and even then, Kakashi seemed somewhat nervous. It was very, very strange, but Iruka tried to put it off as his imagination playing games with him. It had been a long day, and he was just imagining it. The copy-nin was never awkward. He was always calm, confident, and casual, if a little lazy. Iruka took his leave a bit later than he had thought he would. Despite the awkward atmosphere the conversation had been rather pleasant, and Iruka got the impression Kakashi liked his company, which made him stay a bit longer than he should have. He got home in a timely fashion though, and managed to finish grading papers before he fell asleep. The day had been long, but at least it ended relatively well, and Iruka got a good night's sleep out of it.

The next day seemed a bit odd though. Everyone seemed to be staring at him and whispering, and he wasn't particularly sure why. He didn't have anything on his face (he had checked several times). Classes went smoothly, though some of the faculty gave him strange looks and whispered to each other. Iruka ignored it, though. He couldn't figure it out, and he gave up trying. At the end of the day, a familiar face entered his class room as he was packing up. He looked up.

"Genma-san. Hi."

Genma nodded and looked at Iruka, examining him, as though he were looking for something different he hadn't noticed before. Iruka glared at him, but it didn't stop the impromptu examination. "I need to talk to you…" was all he said, and Iruka didn't like the sound of it.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Okay, this chapter was really hard to write. I've redone it at least four different times, and it still didn't go exactly the way I had planned. I hope you guys like it though. The beginning conversation is a bit awkward. That's what got the most revisions. I had a hard time explaining Kakashi, but decided it was better to just let you discover most of it as Iruka does. I hope you enjoy. Your reviews so far have been my inspiration. So please continue to comment. I'm open to suggestions and criticism. Thanks for reading! ^_^

"I need to talk to you…"

Iruka looked at Genma for a long moment, no longer glaring, just… observing. He was confused. "What is it?" He said at length.

"Surely you've heard the rumors by now?" Genma asked sounding bored.

"I've _seen_ the rumors. I haven't actually _heard _them. No one has been kind enough to actual tell me why they're whispering about me." Iruka said pointedly.

Genma let out a long sigh, and leaned against a desk as if to say 'Well, this may take awhile.' Iruka just continued looking at him, politely annoyed (if there is such a thing). "Anko saw you going home last night." He said slowly.

"So?" Iruka looked at Genma as though he had grown a second head.

"Going home from Kakashi's." Genma tried to be subtle.

"Yes. Sooooo?" Genma must have grown a third head then.

Genma sighed again, though this time he was obviously annoyed, and much less amused. "How long have you been friends with Kakashi?" Genma asked finally. Trying one last time to be subtle.

Iruka's face contorted into a mix between confusion and thoughtfulness. "Um, I don't know. A few months maybe? I'm not even sure I'd call it friendship. We're more like co-workers. I help him with his team every now and then, and every once in awhile we'll all go out for ramen. It's no big deal. He mostly just mocks me the whole time anyway." Iruka answered honestly rolling his eyes when he mentioned Kakashi's mockery. That was the one thing that always made Iruka vaguely unhappy to see him. He had to brace himself for an onslaught of snide remarks and inappropriate humor. Except last night. Last night had been rather pleasant actually, and Iruka was quite impressed.

Genma waved his hand at Iruka dismissively. "Maa, Iruka-sensei. That's just how Kakashi…" Genma paused, obviously deciding to reword midsentence. "How he socializes." Genma said carefully. "He was just letting you know that he considered you a friend."

Iruka stared at Genma blankly.

"Trust me. I know the guy. Obviously he's weird. You knew that before. He's just… he's Kakashi. There aren't words. He's a good guy really." Genma paused, realizing he'd strayed off topic, and he considered how exactly to say what he had come to say.

"Genma-san?"

Genma gave up on subtly and just said it outright. "Kakashi hasn't allowed anyone into his apartment since Obito. I've been the guy's friend since before that, I haven't seen the inside of that place, Gai hasn't seen inside the place, and I always thought they were best friends… when Gai gets drunk I kinda get the impression that he may want more than that." Genma shuddered at the thought. "But that's beside the point. Kakashi's an extremely private person. Him inviting you into his apartment is his way of asking you to be... close. Family in a way."

Iruka stared blankly for several moments before responding. "Um… I think you must have misinterpreted. He really only invited me in to discuss my helping him with his team. Maybe he is just opening up. It's not like we actually have a relationship outside of working."

Genma looked at Iruka as though he had just said the cutest thing he'd ever heard, which Iruka realized just meant that he had said something incredibly stupid. "Kakashi doesn't have a life outside of work." Genma actually chuckled. "He doesn't know how."

Iruka began gathering his things again. "I'm not exactly sure what your point is. Couldn't Kakashi just come tell me this."

Genma gave him the 'Gosh, you're so cute' look again. "No. Kakashi… is a special breed. Look, let me explain it to you as simply as I can. There are some things I can't share, it's for Kakashi to tell or for you to realize on your own, but I can at least clarify some of the whispering." He sighed. "Kakashi is… delicate. I know he doesn't seem it, but when it comes to interpersonal relations. After Obito died he changed. He seems friendlier now. He makes jokes and smiles all the time, but that's really just his way of making sure nobody really gets to know him. I've known him for years and I still hardly know anything about him. Just what I'm telling you, which is that he's private, but everyone knows that. He takes it to a completely different level though." Iruka smiled at him, noting that Genma couldn't help but ramble even while he was trying to have a serious conversation. Raidou had always complained about that. "The fact that he's inviting you in means a lot. He wants someone to share things with, granted he'll be sharing them in an oddly Kakashi-like fashion, but at least he'll be sharing."

Iruka sighed half agitated half in realization. Genma hadn't come here of his own accord. "Tsunade sent you…" He said dully.

Genma smiled coyly, but said nothing.

"What does she want?"

"A report." He said simply.

"On Kakashi?"

"She's been worried about him. He bottles. When he breaks… it's going to be…" He shuddered and didn't finish the thought. "She wants to make sure he's got at least one real relationship. Maybe you can make sure that when he breaks… it won't be so bad?"

Iruka didn't bother with the, 'Or make sure he never breaks at all' comment. He was fairly certain Tsunade had said it, but everyone, including Tsunade, knew that was impossible. Everyone breaks. It's a part of life as a shinobi. "She wants me to make sure he stops bottling…" He said slowly. He was definitely not pleased. Genma simply nodded and walked away, his part in the matter was complete.

"Great. She wants me to babysit." Iruka sighed, annoyed that everyone seemed to come to him for these things. But perhaps that's what made him perfect for the job, that and everyone knew he was incapable of not helping a fellow shinobi. He rolled his shoulders, making a decision he was sure was going to get him into trouble. He didn't care though. He headed home to drop off his belongings, and made his way to the training grounds where he was sure Team 7 would be training. They were there. Kakashi sat not far off seeming to read Icha Icha, but Iruka could tell he was being watchful.

"Oi, Iruka-sensei!!!!!" An orange clad Naruto shouted excitedly. Running up to hug his former teacher! "Come to join us? Kakashi said he'd buy us ramen after training today!" Naruto was obviously excited about the promise of his favorite meal.

Iruka scratched the back of his head and chuckled uncomfortably, not wanting to impose. He looked to Kakashi a bit nervous, and Kakashi stood, putting his book away and strode over to them. "You should come Iruka-sensei." Kakashi drawled out.

Iruka nodded. "Okay sure." He felt a bit awkward, but that was to be expected.

"Can we go now Kakashi-sensei?!" Naruto almost whined, clearly more interested in eating ramen and spending time with Iruka than training at the moment. It had been a long day anyway, he was aching to catch up with the academy teacher.

Kakashi sighed in mock defeat. Iruka could tell he had already planned to end training upon his arrival anyway. "I suppose." Kakashi said in a bored tone.

"Yes!" Naruto exclaimed running off ahead of them to his favorite ramen stand.

"Sorry." Iruka apologized. "I didn't mean to end your training session."

Kakashi shrugged. "No big deal. They've been at it all day anyway." He looked back to his students trailing behind them. Iruka nodded uncomfortably and suddenly found himself wishing Naruto hadn't run off. He wasn't exactly sure what to say just then. Kakashi could tell there was something bothering the younger man. "Is there something you wanted to say?" Kakashi asked managing a tone both curious and bored.

Iruka looked back at the students, "Later." He said in a hushed voice, and Kakashi became instantly tense. He nodded slowly, and didn't say anymore about it. His thoughts began to race however.

_Oh Kami… What did I do? It must have been my apartment. It was too messy. I should have cleaned before inviting him over. He probably thinks I'm some sort of animal or something. Everything was such a mess. What was I thinking? And he's come to talk to me about while I'm sweating, and I must smell terrible, he probably thinks I don't shower now too. Great. I should know better than to try to get close to people. I'm always left alone in the end. At least Iruka didn't die like everyone else. That's it. No more. I'm not doing this anymore. Clearly I wasn't built for this whole relationship thing. I'm fine with being alone. I've done it all these years, and I can cope with it for however many remain. It's not so bad really… I'll just have to figure out how to stop thinking about him… And how good he smells, and how soothing his voice is, and how he makes me laugh without even trying, and how completely perfect he is. That should be easy right? _

Kakashi dared to look over at the subject of his thoughts. He always seemed to be thinking about Iruka lately. He really was awfully pretty. And he did smell good. And he was such a comforting presence. Kakashi was going to miss that when he finally cut himself off from the world completely. He was going to miss this chuunin the most. All because of his 'dirty' apartment.

Iruka could practically hear the hum of Kakashi's frantic thoughts, and simply put a hand on the taller man's shoulder squeezing gently. It was slightly awkward due to the height difference, but it was tolerable. "After dinner." Iruka said quietly, trying to calm Kakashi's obviously overactive mind. "I'll explain after dinner." Kakashi nodded feigning calm. Iruka could tell his attempt at comfort had done little to settle Kakashi. He would just have to wait.

A/N: Tee Hee. You will all have to wait too! Muahahaha! I'm already working on the next chapter. I'm trying to be quick about updating. Hopefully at least once a week. Possibly more frequently… don't quote me on that though. Hope you liked it. Please review! I really enjoy the feedback. It makes updating easier, and much faster. You guys really are my inspiration! Let me know if you'd like longer chapters. This seems a bit short to me, but I also don't want it too get too long. It's up to you guys.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Not mine. Though I would kill to have Kakashi.

Warning: This fic will have lemon in later chapters. It's KakaIru. If you don't like, don't read. And also… don't talk to me. You have to give me time to adjust to your alien ways… I can't promise I'll ever cope.

A/N: I don't know what happened to the formatting of my first to chappies, but it's totally not right. The disclaimer and the warning are missing, and it's just all off… Did anybody even notice? No? Okay then… never mind…I hope you guys are enjoying OCD Kakashi! I love OCD Kakashi!^_^

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"I'll explain after dinner."

Their meal was uncomfortable at best. Awkward comments between chewing. There were long uneasy silences, and unreadable stares. The two men needed to talk. They needed privacy. They needed to clear the air. They needed Naruto to shut the fuck up and go away. The kid had eaten enough ramen for three people, and was still at it. Kakashi and Iruka sat patiently trying to make conversation, but failing. Iruka had tried to get Naruto to talk on several occasions to at least relieve some of the tension, but conveniently enough, he had decided to let his senseis finally get to know each other. Iruka could have smacked the kid. Any time either adult tried to engage him in conversation Naruto replied, "Why don't you ask him." Or "You know, Kakashi-sensei knows a lot about that." Or "Iruka-sensei would probably be able to answer that." Or "Why don't you just pretend I'm not here." The last was completely impossible for obvious reasons. Not to mention the fact that Naruto was having a rather loud conversation with an irritated Ayame, which they were not invited to join. It was by far the most awkward meal Konaha had ever seen.

After what seemed like an eternity, Naruto stopped eating, and let out a contented sigh. "Gochisousama!" He exclaimed grinning. "Well, I'm off Kakashi-sensei, Iruka-senei! It's been nice talking to you Ayame-san!" And with that he ran off. Kakashi and Iruka both visibly relaxed a bit. Finally, it was over.

"Well…" Iruka said slowly, realizing the awkward situation had only just started. "I guess we should find somewhere private to talk."

Kakashi looked uncomfortably in the direction of his apartment. He knew it was one of the most private places in the village. No one could get in, the whole place had been sound proofed, and even if that weren't true his reputation kept most people away anyway. But he hadn't cleaned yet, and he knew Iruka already thought he was disgustingly dirty. He wasn't sure what to do, so he just sat and stared at Iruka, feigning boredom.

Iruka grew uncomfortable with Kakashi's lack of response; he began scratching at the back of his head uncomfortably. "Uh… Would you like to come to my place?" Iruka said finally.

_Yes! _Kakashi exclaimed inwardly. _I would most definitely like to… but I've only showered twice today, and not once since training. I'm all sweaty, and I'd make your apartment smell like my sweat, and you already think I'm dirty, and I don't want you to hate me completely. Maybe our relationship is still salvageable. If I just explain..._

"Maa, I wouldn't want to impose." Kakashi said coolly, as though he weren't worried sick about ruining this new relationship. "I haven't showered since training, and I don't smell particularly pleasant. I'd hate to burden your place with that. Um, if you can excuse the mess at my place, we can talk there. "

Iruka looked at the silver haired man incredulously, but said nothing.

"Um, I mean, you don't have to come. If the mess is too much your place is fine I just assumed it'd be better if—"

"Mess?" Iruka said, still staring at Kakashi as though his whole world had just come crashing down.

"I haven't cleaned up in awhile. It's been a little hectic you know? Life a shinobi and all. You saw how my place looked yesterday. It wasn't in the best of shape. If you'd rather do this at your place it's fine. But I do smell a bit… repulsive." Kakashi said at length.

"Smell? You smell fine." Iruka said, looking further dismayed by the crazy jounin. _You smell pretty good actually. Like mangos and a little bit earthy. It's nice. _"And your apartment wasn't messy at all." Iruka mentally shrugged, and decided to be completely honest. "Actually, it's a bit too clean…" He scratched at the scar on his nose nervously. _I hope that's not offensive. Maybe I'm just messier than I thought…_

Kakashi's eye crinkled up into a happy crescent. "Really?!" He said, in a voice far too pleased. It was vaguely childish, and unquestionably cute, but not at all what Iruka had expected from the Copy-Nin.

Iruka chuckled slightly. "Yeah, if anything I'll make your apartment sink."

"I highly doubt that. You don't smell bad at all." _Like cinnamon, brown sugar, chalk, and… something I've never really been able to place. It's my favorite smell… I'd love it if my apartment smelled like that. _

"Well, in any case, I think my apartment is the better choice at the moment. I'll explain why when we get there." Kakashi gave a confused look, tilting his head slightly like a puppy might. His eye curved up cheerfully after a moment and he nodded, no longer objecting, but Iruka could feel him wanting to. It was like Kakashi had actually perfected the art of communicating via awkward smiles that one could not even see. Kakashi didn't want to go, but that was just too bad. They had things to discuss, and they could do without the rumors that going back to Kakashi's place would inevitably bring about. "Come on." Iruka said, none too cheerfully. Kakashi noted that his tone of voice indicated he was doing this more out of necessity than desire, which made him frown.

They walked in silence, and Iruka noted that Kakashi seemed to know where he was going, as in he wasn't following, as in he had been to his apartment before, as in… why the fuck did Kakashi know where he lived? Iruka mentally shrugged and decided it was probably due to either Naruto or the fact that he was a jounin and therefore crazy. He unlocked his door, and let Kakashi in. The silver haired man entered hesitantly, and toed off his sandals slowly. He was careful not to step on the carpet of the living room floor. He stood on the clean tile near the doorway careful not to let his feet make contact with the cracks between tiles.

Iruka toed off his sandals in a similar manner and walked into the living room, turning back he told Kakashi he could have a seat, and then he disappeared into a room on in the hallway beyond the cozy looking front room. Kakashi stayed put. He didn't like carpeting. You couldn't tell how clean it was. Not really. The surface might be clean, but there could be things living in it… or even worse… there could be dirt. Kakashi actually shuddered at the thought, and decided to just stand where he was. Iruka came back into the living room, his vest removed, his shirt untucked, and his pants loosened slightly to hang lower and more comfortably on his feminine hips. Iruka had even let his hair down; the tight pony-tail coupled with the recent drama of the day was giving him a headache. Kakashi openly gawked, or at least he thought it was openly. Anyone looking on would have just seen his bored eye looking at his host in a casual manner.

_Woah… You should always wear your hair down sensei, I like it. _Kakashi grinned mentally, but he outwardly continued looking bored._ And you should always dress more casually. Like this. I like this. Why is everything about you so perfect?_

Iruka looked at Kakashi a bit uncomfortable. "Is there a problem?"

Kakashi instantly snapped out of his thoughts. "No." He said coolly, though a slight tilt of the head belied his confusion at the question.

"Why are you standing at the door? Do you not want to sit down?"

"No not really." Kakashi answered honestly. Carpets freaked him out. And He much preferred wooden chairs to the comfy looking couch in Iruka's living room. It was easier to identify dirt when fabric wasn't involved.

Iruka stood, uncomfortable for a long moment. _So much for friends. He doesn't even want to be here right now. I guess Genma had him completely wrong. Well I guess it's time to get down to business. No use in keeping him here if he doesn't want to be here._

"What I'm going to tell you is probably going to get me in a hell of a lot of trouble. So, please, don't make me regret doing this okay?"

Kakashi gave him that confused tilt of the head once more, but nodded in agreement.

"Tsunade wants me to babysit you, report what I find. The whole town is up in arms because you let me into your apartment last night, and I really don't feel comfortable spying on you. So, I'm not going to. I understand you're a private person, and I respect that. I'm not going to betray your trust just so Tsunade can get a piece of gossip before Anko for once. That's childish, and I'll have no part in it. However, the mission wasn't solely meant for petty gain. She is seriously concerned about you. I think we might be able to be friends, if you're willing, and I'll be here to talk to you, but I'm not going to force anything. Just know my door is open." Iruka's speech was short and concise. It actually sounded rather thought out, which pleased Iruka given that it kind of just fell out of his mouth in one big clump. Kakashi didn't move or say anything for a long moment.

"How do they know I let you in?" Kakashi said at last.

"Anko." Iruka answered, knowing full well he shouldn't have. Anko was probably going to be in for a world of hurt, but that would teach her a lesson about butting into other people's affairs, and Iruka was ever the teacher.

Kakashi nodded. "Thank you."

Iruka nodded and smiled warmly. Kakashi gave him look full of emotion, and the chuunin couldn't decipher what exactly he saw there, but it tugged at his heart strings, made him want to walk over to the jounin, hold him in his arms and tell him everything would be okay, just like he would for one of his students. It was strange to see such a look in a man like Kakashi. It seemed… innocent, almost frightened, and somehow not at all out of place, like one would have expected. Iruka couldn't really put his finger on what else lingered there, but there was something more, something that made his stomach knot; it was strange to say the least.

"You're welcome to stay…" Iruka found himself speaking without really realizing what was happening. Kakashi's eye curved up, and Iruka could have sworn he heard a chuckle.

"Thanks Iruka-sensei. I appreciate the offer, and perhaps some other time, but there's a certain kunoichi I have to go gut alive at the moment. Thank you very much for your honesty." Kakashi put a hand up in a parting gesture before putting his shoes back on, and walking out the door. Iruka noted that he seemed to open the door without actually touching the handle. It was actually rather impressive, and extremely odd. Iruka shrugged, and eyed the work he'd dumped ceremoniously on the couch before meeting up with Team 7. He sighed. Time to get back to work.

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Kakashi approached Anko slowly, casually, happily even. He raised a hand in his standard greeting. "Yo." He said simply and she smirked and waved at him as though she wasn't about to die horribly.

"Hey, Kakashi-san! Izumo-san and I are about to have a drink. Care to join us?"

It took more will power than Kakashi would have expected to refrain from attacking her right then and there, and thus, he did not refrain. In the blink of an eye he was standing behind the kunoichi, kunai pressed to her throat. "Maa, Anko-san. I think you and I should have a little chat first."

Izumo's eyes grew wide with fear, and he started to back away stuttering. "Uh… actually… now that I think about Kotestu wanted to talk to me about something and… Um… Bye!" He turned around and sprinted away in fear, leaving Kakashi and Anko to their business.

Anko could _feel _Kakashi grinning sadistically behind her. His anger wrapped around her like the arms of a lover. To say she was scared would be an understatement. Anko was prepared to die. She took a shuddering breath, and closed her eyes, hoping it would at least be quick.

"Having a nice day Anko-san?" Kakashi said in a creepily cheerful voice, considering his obvious desire to kill the her where she stood.

"Was…" She muttered obstinately. Sure she was scared, but that was no reason to go down like a bitch. She decided to defiant to the end. All her rebellious desires seemed to abandon her, however, when the kunai pressed just a little closer, nearly drawing blood.

"Are you not happy to see me Anko?" Kakashi asked, his voice portraying a sad disappointment. "And I always thought we were such great friends…"

Anko took another shaky breath eager to get this over with. "Okay, okay. What do you want?"

"Why. The. Fuck. Can't you keep your mouth shut and stay out of my business?"

Anko's eyes went wide with a mixture of fear and confusion. "Wha—?"

"The village seems to be very interested in a relationship between me and a certain chuunin. Do you really plan to tell me you had no part in that?" his voice just barely hinted at his anger.

"So, I told a few people, what's the big deal?"

"So, I'm just going to make a few cuts. What's the big deal?" Kakashi's voice lost its edge in favor of a bored tone, very matter of fact. He spoke of mutilating Anko's body the same way he would have talked about the weather, on a particularly unremarkable day.

"Okay, so you're mad, but is this really what you want to do we're friends, right? You wouldn't kill me over something so—"

"If the word minor, or any word even remotely similar comes out of your face I promise you, you won't have one anymore."

Anko tried to clear her throat, but the kunai pressed to her neck made that impossible to do without effectively killing herself. "I-I'm sorry?" She asked rather desperate.

"I'm sure you are…" Kakashi still sounded bored. That was probably the creepiest part about the whole experience for Anko.

"HATAKE KAKASHI DROP THE KUNAI AND GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE RIGHT NOW, BRAT!" Tsunade's voice saved Anko from what would have most certainly been a horrible death.

Kakashi paused, looked at Tsunade, and honestly seemed to consider if killing Anko would be worth whatever punishment he'd have to suffer. Really he'd be doing the village a favor… the punishment couldn't be that bad, but he sighed and let go of Anko, strolling casually over to the Hokage.

His eye curved up happily when he reached her. "Yes, Tsunade-sama?" He reverted back to his cheerful tone of voice.

Tsunade was fuming. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

"Playing?" Kakashi asked, as though he were actually trying to figure out what the correct answer to a complicated question was.

Tsunade's arms crossed over her chest, and a vein in her forehead was threatening to explode. "This is not a joke. What the hell is wrong with you?"

Kakashi grew bored of the situation. "You should know. You've got people spying on me, ne? Are they not doing a good enough job to at least have me diagnosed by now?" Kakashi raised a silver eyebrow.

Tsunade stood dumbfounded for a moment. "But…. I…" She was actually rather taken aback by his confronting her about Iruka's "mission".

"Hn." Kakashi responded in a very Sasuke-esque manner before turning and walking off toward his apartment. Tsunade didn't bother trying to stop him.

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"What were you thinking?!?!" Iruka was furious to say the least.

"Maa, Iruka-sensei, she deserved it. I didn't actually kill her or anything. Just… scared her into learning a good life lesson."

Iruka scratched at his scar on his nose, idly trying to calm his nerves. "You can't go around threatening people like that, Kakashi-san." He sighed and looked up at Kakashi, obviously at a loss. "These antics are exactly what got you a baby-sitter in the first place."

Kakashi mentally cringed at the reminder that Iruka was indeed just baby-sitting. "Tsunade doesn't seem particularly pleased that you told me about that by the way."

Iruka shrugged. It couldn't be helped. If he was going to get Kakashi to trust him, he had to be honest with him. "I'll deal with that later."

Kakashi nodded. "Oi, Iruka-sensei, there's something I ought to tell you." Kakashi smiled happily beneath his mask. The gesture made Iruka very uncomfortable.

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A/N: Okay guys. Hope you guys are liking the story. I don't really like the way this one ended. The cliffhangers are actually not even intentional. I just didn't know how else to end this chapter. This chapter is a little longer. I think it's a better length personally, but it was a little harder to write.

Okay, so I got a review that this is the same or similar to The Kakashi Mission? I've never read it, so it might be. I don't know who the author is either, but I'm going to look for it, and see. In any case, it wasn't meant to be. This fic was actually inspired by a combination of a fic where Kakashi is assigned a mission to keep an eye on Iruka, and my own desire to write a fic where 'Kashi is just bat shit crazy OCD. My apologies to the author of The Kakashi Mission if it seems like I stole your plot. Hopefully when the story really gets going (next chapter when Kakashi unveils his punishment *hint hint*) it'll stop seeming similar if it is indeed similar in the first place.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Not mine. Though I would kill to have Kakashi.

Warning: This fic will have lemon in later chapters. It's KakaIru. If you don't like, don't read. And also… don't talk to me. You have to give me time to adjust to your alien ways… I can't promise I'll ever cope.

A/N: I've been in a particularly emo mood lately for some reason. So, this chapter took a bit longer than expected. Kakashi was turning out to be much too depressing for my tastes, and it took me forever to figure out a way to fix it. The answer, in the end, was glaringly obvious, and I feel rather stupid for not realizing it sooner. The truly sad thing is… it's still a bit angsty… Anyway, sorry about the wait.

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Kakashi nodded. "Oi, Iruka-sensei, there's something I ought to tell you." Kakashi smiled happily beneath his mask. The gesture made Iruka very uncomfortable.

"I'm going to be gone for awhile." Kakashi said after a short pause. Iruka looked at him expectantly, silently encouraging him to continue. "Tsunade didn't seem particularly pleased with the whole Anko thing so… Being the spiteful woman she is, I'll be gone on a mission for about a week, ne?"

Iruka seemed to visibly relax. "Is that all you wanted to tell me?" Iruka said, relief evident in his voice.

Kakashi gave a confused tilt of his head. "That's it? You aren't even remotely concerned?"

Iruka chuckled. "Call it faith. You're a capable ninja, I'm sure you'll be able to handle whatever happens on your mission." Iruka smiled at him warmly, and it left Kakashi feeling rather silly, though he wasn't exactly sure why. The chuunin's words had touched him, though, and Kakashi would not forget the feeling they instilled in him. "When are you going to be leaving?" Iruka snapped the jounin out of his musings.

"Tomorrow." Kakashi replied dully. Iruka simply nodded, and sat thoughtfully for a moment.

"Dangerous?"

"Very."

"Where?"

"Grass."

"Don't do anything stupid and make me have to come get you." Iruka smirked, and Kakashi couldn't help but chuckle at the statement. "I suppose this means we'll have to postpone our training plans."

"Hm." Kakashi nodded. "We can always reschedule."

Iruka simply nodded, and Kakashi could have sworn he saw a hint of disappointment in the chuunin's face. That sat in silence for a long while, just enjoying each other's company. Iruka thought it strange he was so comfortable with the jounin all of a sudden. Only a few days ago this silence would have made him incredibly uncomfortable. Hell, there were people he'd been friends with for years that he still didn't feel comfortable enough with to just sit in silence.

Kakashi, however, was glad for the silence. He found it comforting. It was, perhaps, the sound he was most comfortable with. He felt himself smile under his mask at the thought. Ironic. He looked up at the chuunin, smile still turning the corners of his mouth up under his mask, and noticed the chuunin smile as well. Iruka blushed lightly at his reaction, and Kakashi tilted his head, in a manner Iruka was beginning to recognize as Kakashi's equivalent to a curious inquisition. The chuunin mentally noted he liked Kakashi's version of the typically intrusive act better than most he'd endured. Any other shinobi would be poking and prodding relentlessly trying to find the answer to satisfy their curiosity, most of the time they took it much too far. Kakashi, however, simply tilted his head slightly to the left, and looked inquisitive. He never asked invasive questions, and he never pursued the topic when the chuunin artfully avoided responding. It was nice, and Iruka found that he truly did appreciate the silver haired man's consideration for his privacy.

After a long silence Kakashi decided Iruka probably wasn't going to explain the reason behind his grin. He stretched out his legs and stood from the stool he had been occupying. "Maa, Iruka-sensei, I suppose I ought to go pack for my mission."

Iruka nodded. "Thanks for telling me."

Kakashi noted a sincerity in the teacher's voice he had not really expected, and his eye curved up happily in response. He wasn't exactly sure what to say, so he simply held up a hand in farewell. "I'll see you when I get back." Kakashi said slowly. Iruka simply nodded and waved goodbye.

"You know where to find me." And with that, Kakashi left.

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It had been a three days since Iruka last saw Kakashi, and though the chuunin knew he wasn't due back for another four days, he couldn't help but look at the window and expect to see the man sitting in it, one half gloved hand raised in hello, happily curving eye, just like he had been there every other day they had scheduled for Iruka to help with training. Iruka felt an odd sense of disappointment when he looked and saw nothing but the window and the scene that lie beyond it. He sighed sadly, and gathered his things to leave the mission room. His shift had ended half an hour ago, but Kakashi was always late, so Iruka stayed late on days when Kakashi was to pick him up. It had been silly for him to stay, but he couldn't help but to hope.

"Miss him?" He heard a familiar voice call after him as he was leaving the impressively empty mission room.

Iruka turned around to see Raidou coyly smiling at him. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Mmhmm…" Was Raidou's only response.

Iruka glared at him. "You've been spending much too much time with your boyfriend, Raidou-san. You're starting to sound like him. You've even got the grin down."

Raidou's eyes went wide and he blushed shyly. How did Iruka know about him and Genma anyway?

"You guys aren't exactly subtle." Iruka said knowingly.

"How did...I don't… We're not…" Raidou stammered trying to save himself.

"Mmhmm." Iruka mimicked, grinning deviously. "Later." With that the brown haired chuunin left, rather pleased with himself.

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Nearly a week after Kakashi was due to return home; Iruka found himself pacing him apartment, feeling antsy. It most certainly had nothing to do with Kakashi either. Nope. Nothing at all. He was just anxious for the break that was coming up at the academy. It would be nice to have a little time off. He was just looking forward to it. That was all. He wasn't even thinking about how Kakashi was supposed to be home. He wasn't almost constantly looking out windows and expecting to see him there. He wasn't walking by his apartment building on his walks around the town, his new habit of walking around the town had nothing to do with his desire to walk by Kakashi's apartment either. Nope. He was just anxious for a break from work, simple as that.

Iruka sighed. He wasn't convincing anybody. He needed to do something with himself. He had already graded all the work he'd fallen behind on, and caught up on everyone else's work in the mission room. He had rearranged his furniture three times, and cleaned his place so many times, his apartment's cleanliness was starting to rival Kakashi's. Not that he was thinking about Kakashi. He sighed and looked at his closet. He had perhaps half a load of laundry he could do. It would be a waste, but he really needed to do something with himself, so he shrugged, and gathered up his laundry, and headed to his building's laundry room to get them washed.

He put his clothes in the washer, added his soap and fabric softener, and adjusted the settings to prevent the dye from fading, and turned on the washing machine. It so was monotonous it actually made him feel better. He turned around to find Genma standing behind him, staring at him.

"Er… Can I help you Genma-san?" He asked rather surprised to see the special jounin there. It wasn't terribly strange considering he did live in the same building as Genma, but seeing as the blonde had no laundry with him, Iruka got the feeling he wasn't actually there to wash his clothes.

"Hmm." Was the only Genma said.

"Hmm?" Iruka repeated. "Hmm, what?"

"Nothing. Just… Raidou was right." Genma replied vaguely.

"Right about what?"

"You. You miss him."

Iruka looked at the man in front of him, and wondered how much trouble he'd get in, if he just cut off his ear. Just an ear. It's not like Genma used them for anything other than listening to himself talk anyway. It wouldn't be such a big deal would it? Iruka sighed, deciding that cutting off Genma's ear would only cause more trouble than it was worth. So, he instead stepped around him, and sat on a bench in the room, waiting for his clothes to wash.

"Ignoring me isn't going to make me go away." Genma said, smiling. He hopped up on the washer Iruka's clothes were in and looked at the chuunin patiently.

Iruka sighed in defeat. "What do you want Genma?"

The senbon sucker shrugged. "I want you to stop worrying." Genma replied honestly.

"I'm not worried." Iruka lied.

"Mmhmm." Genma said. Iruka couldn't help, but notice the similarities between Genma and Raidou. They shared mannerisms in a way that only two people who spent much too much time together would. "Then it wouldn't interest you to know that Kakashi came home days ago?"

"WHAT?!" Iruka exclaimed… not that he cared. He hadn't even been thinking about Kakashi.

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Kakashi's mission had been hard. Not exhausting, but annoying, and dirty… very dirty. Bloody… He had killed so many people. He had lost himself. Forgotten who he was. What it was to be human. He had become a monster. A simple tool meant for nothing more than destruction, and worse yet he had reveled in it. He enjoyed knowing he had such profound control, such power. To hold the life of another in the palm of his hand, and snuff it out as easily as he would take a breath. It came naturally to him, as though he were born to kill.

Kakashi climbed into his apartment through the kitchen window, carefully disabling the trap set there. He slid down to lean against the wall, trying to find the strength to walk. He needed a shower. He was dirty very, very dirty. He felt as though the dirt had somehow seeped through his skin, and into his core, dirty his soul as well. He needed to get to the shower. He needed to get clean. He stood and walked on shaky legs to the bathroom, stepped into the shower. He didn't remember turning it on. He didn't remember curling up into a ball and weeping as the water fell on him. It took him a moment to realize where he was once his awareness returned to him. The water had become ice cold, and still he sat holding himself as the water fell. He felt himself shiver, but did not move. He had to have stayed that way for at least another hour, before he stood and washed himself, scrubbing furiously. The dirt and grime were long gone and still he scrubbed. He could still feel the dirt there.

He didn't know how long he had been in the shower, but by the time he got out his toes had turned blue. He stepped out of the bathroom, not bothering to dress, and curled up in bed, where he slept a restless sleep. He woke early the next morning, and he could still feel the dirt on him, crawling under his skin reminding him of what he really was. A monster in human skin. He rolled out of bed, and dressed himself, putting up a genjutsu to prevent anyone from walking by from seeing him. It was a simply jutsu, that just made the house look empty. He sighed, and walked back to the kitchen. He had work to do. He began cleaning fervently. He started off scrubbing anything he had touched the night before, then moved to anything he remembered looking at, and eventually moved on to just cleaning the entire apartment, just because he knew he had blacked out, and couldn't be sure.

He spent the entire day cleaning. And when he was done he showered again, trying to get the dirt off. He finally grew tired, and went to bed, only to repeat the process the next morning, and then the morning after that, and then the morning after that, and still he could feel the dirt on him. Perhaps it had sunk in too deep. Perhaps it would never go away. He wondered if anyone would be able to see it, if anyone would notice. Maybe they would all see it, and realize what a monster he truly was. He looked around his apartment, and could still see the dirt. He shuddered. It had been building up for years, and he didn't know how to get rid of it.

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A/N: Ha. No cliffhanger. You can thank my lovely Beta for stopping me. She's fantastic! Hope you guys enjoyed.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Not mine. Though I would kill to have Kakashi.

Warning: This fic will have lemon in later chapters. It's KakaIru. If you don't like, don't read. And also… don't talk to me. You have to give me time to adjust to your alien ways… I can't promise I'll ever cope.

A/N: Oi, sorry about the wait. I had a minimum of 10 hours worth of work to do for my art final, so as you can imagine I was busy. It ended up taking closer to 30 hours to get it all done, but I'm back, and after a ridiculously harsh period of writer's block (which oddly enough ended up having nothing to do with this chapter at all), I would like to present chapter five. Enjoy.

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"WHAT?!" Iruka exclaimed… not that he cared. He hadn't even been thinking about Kakashi.

Genma grinned widely at Iruka's reaction. "Is that a 'no' then?" He asked in a bored tone, though his grin belied his attitude.

"When did he get back?" Iruka asked, trying to reign in his emotions. He didn't sound calm exactly, but he sounded less like he might implode out of sheer shock.

Genma shrugged. "Doesn't really matter though does it? It's not like you missed him or anything right?"

Iruka glared at the blonde. "Where is he?" He asked sounded only vaguely annoyed, he still just sounded shocked for the most part.

Genma shrugged again. "He does this after almost every mission. He just kinda disappears for about a week, I have no clue where he goes."

Iruka nodded, and looked at the washer as though he were trying to make it wash faster by sheer force of will.

"So, that's it?" Genma asked, actually sounding surprised. Iruka only gave him a confused look and went back to glaring at the washer. "You aren't going to go looking for him or anything?"

Iruka shrugged. "If he wanted me to know he was back he would have been the one to tell me. Clearly he doesn't want to be found." Genma stared at Iruka in utter amazement for a long moment before backing away slowly, and leaving Iruka to his laundry.

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Iruka sighed, folding his last garment of clothing. He hadn't really even noticed he had finished his laundry until he reached into his basket to fold something else, and his hand came up empty. When did he dry those? When had he brought them back up to his apartment? Iruka sighed. He had been so lost in thought he didn't even realize what he was doing. He stood, and began putting the clothes away in their proper places in his dresser.

When he finished he went to his window and stared outside, still lost in thought. When had Kakashi come back, and why didn't the jounin let him know? Iruka had been going crazy with worry, and all the while Kakashi was fine. Hiding out somewhere completely unharmed. It was so frustrating! Without really noticing he was doing anything, he left for his evening stroll. The one where he was _not_ going to see Kakashi. He just needed to clear his head. Kakashi had nothing to do with it. He wasn't even thinking about Kakashi.

And then he was standing outside the Copy-Nin's apartment building glaring up at his window… not thinking about him. He was being ridiculous, and he knew it. Kakashi was a jounin. He had no reason to show a special interest in him. Iruka sighed. _I don't know what I thought was going to happen… _He turned around to continue his walk. There was no reason for him to be standing outside of Kakashi's apartment like he was, it's not like they were friends. He turned around and headed back the way he'd come.

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Kakashi sat on his couch trying to ignore the world. He didn't want to be a part of it, he didn't want to face people. He didn't' want anything other than to disappear. He was a monster, a tool meant for something purely evil. He had taken so many lives. He buried his face in his hands and sighed, holding back the tears, he had cried enough. He'd spilled buckets of saltwater, wasted his tears. There was nothing he could do now. No jutsu he could perform, nothing that would bring them back. He couldn't even apologize for what he had done, for he knew that when he had done it, he had meant it. He had enjoyed it, relished in it even.

What kind of person enjoys killing? No… He wasn't a person. He was a monster, and that was enough of an answer. Kakashi felt something then. He had felt it every day since he had come home from his mission. Something like hope, a feeling in the pit of his stomach that told him maybe he was wrong, maybe he wasn't just an awful monster. Typically, it came and went quickly, just a thought that left him feeling even worse once it had gone. It lingered a bit longer that day though, long enough for him to realize that maybe it was true. Maybe he wasn't just a monster. He felt the corners of his mouth turn pull upward into a small smile. He stood and walked to the window. It was evening and the sun was just setting. The streets seemed more empty than usual, and Kakashi was glad for it. He had somewhere he needed to go.

He walked to his door, and disabled the trap there as he slipped on his sandals. He sighed deeply, in an attempt to prepare himself and opened his door.

"…"

"…"

"I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to bother you!" Iruka was blushing furiously, and bowing lowly in apology. Before Kakashi even had a chance to say anything the chuunin turned to leave. He looked like he was about ready to sprint the whole way home, and hole up in there until Kakashi forgot… but it was very unlikely that Kakashi would forget, so he'd just have to stay in his apartment until the man dropped dead. As Iruka took his first step toward his home, preparing himself to run at an unreasonable pace a hand caught his arm, and he turned to look at Kakashi. It was then Iruka realized what Kakashi actually looked like. Though his eye curved up in its happy little suggestion of a smile, he had a dark circle around his eye, as though he hadn't been sleeping. The man was also thinner than Iruka remembered, almost gaunt. Had he not been eating? What was going on?

"Maa Iruka-sensei. Come in?"

Iruka stared at the jounin in utter disbelief, and did not respond. So, Kakashi peeked out the door to see if anyone was looking, when he saw no one, he pulled Iruka into his apartment and shut the door.

"Kakashi…" Iruka almost whispered he sounded rather frightened, and Kakashi wasn't exactly sure if it was a fear of his filthy apartment or concern. Kakashi hoped it was concern, hoped Iruka cared enough about him to worry. He had been trying to so hard to get close to the chuunin, he'd been almost desperate. Of course, he wanted more than just mere friendship, but Kakashi would have settled for any friendly relationship he could get. "Kakashi-san, are you okay?" Kakashi sighed in relief. It was concern.

Kakashi shrugged, and looked around his apartment briefly, hoping Iruka wouldn't notice the dirt. He started to shift uncomfortably. "Ano, sorry about the mess Iruka-sensei. I've been fine."

"What mess Kakasi-san? This place isn't just clean… it's more sanitary than an operating room." Iruka looked at Kakashi in utter confusion. There were other things Iruka wanted to ask as well, but they could wait. Right now he needed to figure out why Kakashi seemed to be convinced he was so dirty. This was the second time the jounin had commented on it. The first time Iruka had hoped it was a joke, but now, the obvious worry emanating off of the man was proof of how serious he actually was.

Kakashi looked around his apartment, shifting his weight again. He was obviously uncomfortable, and Iruka could tell the man was looking at something, what he assumed was the 'mess' Kakashi kept referring to. "The dirt. It's everywhere. You don't see it? It's coming off of me. I tried to clean it, but…" Kakashi trailed off.

Iruka got an idea then. He wasn't sure how well it would work, if Kakashi would understand what he was doing. Iruka wasn't sure if the 'dirt' was metaphorical or if Kakashi really did see a mess, but Iruka decided to try anyway. "Kakashi-san, I'd like to show you something. Do you trust me?" Kakashi looked at Iruka for a moment, his expression unreadable, and then nodded slowly. Iruka sighed. "Okay, good. Come on." He led the silver haired man to sit on his couch, Iruka sat on the coffee table across from Kakashi. Without further explaination Iruka went through a series of hand seals. The jutsu was simple, something he had learned years ago, and it had proved useful in many situations, he had never tried it for a purpose even remotely similar to this one, however, and he was hoping it would work.

He finished his hand seals, and immediately Kakashi's eye went wide. _Okay, so at least the jutsu worked_. Iruka thought to himself. There was a long moment of silence as Iruka looked around the apartment, neither wanted to say anything. Finally, as Iruka could feel the jutsu wearing off, he whispered, "See? No dirt…" Kakashi nodded, and sat quietly, not saying anything in response. The jutsu had allowed him to see his apartment through Iruka's eyes. It was immaculate, just as the chuunin had said. Kakashi actively searched for the dirt, looked in places he knew there to be an overabundance, but he saw none. His apartment was clean. That wasn't the most shocking part about what he had seen, however. When he saw no dirt in his apartment, he turned to himself, and looked at how Iruka saw him. His heart seemed to miss a beat. He was clean, but there was more than that. He looked terribly sick, fragile almost, and Kakashi instantly understood why Iruka had looked so worried. Passed the obvious reason for concern, however, there was something deeper. Kakashi couldn't actually place what it was, but there was more. He was… pretty? But that was just the surface of it, there was something there, but there wasn't time to figure it out. The jutsu wore off before he had a chance to place what else he saw in himself, or to be more accurate, what Iruka saw in him. Kakashi turned away hiding a slight blush, but Iruka was too distracted to really notice the pink color that had crept onto Kakashi's pale face.

"You see? It's not messy, what makes you think it's so dirty Kakashi-san?" Kakashi shrugged indifferently, but Iruka recognized the gesture. It was exactly the same thing his students did when they knew something, but didn't want to talk about it. "It's okay Kakashi-san. You can tell me. We're friends right? I just want to help you." He had slipped into comforting-teacher mode without really realizing it.

Kakashi looked up at the brunette, and was quiet for a long moment. "Maybe you can't see it, but it's there." Kakashi answered quietly. "It's the dirt from all the things I've done on missions, the blood from all the people I've killed, it's…" Kakashi trailed off searching for way to explain himself.

"The guilt?" Iruka offered.

"The reminder." Kakashi corrected. "Monsters like me don't feel guilt. Guilt is for people. People who can redeem themselves. I'm beyond redemption. I murdered people." Kakashi looked at Iruka as he spoke, his sadness become a physical presence in the room. It weighed heavily on both of them. "I didn't just kill people, Iruka-sensei, I murdered them, and worse I enjoyed it. I took pleasure in ending their existence." He looked away. "This isn't guilt…" Iruka was almost positive he heard Kakashi's voice hitch, it sounded as though the older man was crying. "It hurts too much…" Kakashi added quietly, and Iruka barely caught the words.

They sat in silence for a long time, neither exactly sure what to say. After a long moment, Iruka moved to sit on the couch beside Kakashi, and put an arm around the jounin in a comforting gesture. He wasn't exactly sure what to say. He couldn't tell him that it would all be okay. He couldn't tell him that what he did was right. Kakashi had done horrible things, and he would probably never get over the pain he felt because of it. Iruka sighed deeply, the sorrow he felt for the jounin was unmistakably evident.

"You are not a monster." Iruka said at last. His voice was firm and sure. "A monster wouldn't feel the pain you feel for what you've done."

"Only a monster could have done the things I've done." Kakashi confessed.

The chuunin shook his head. "You did what you had to in order to protect the village. You did your duty."

Kakashi shifted, leaning his head against the younger man's chest. "I'm sorry…"

"No, I'm sorry. I should have given you your privacy." Iruka said softly.

"You've come by every day…" the jounin smiled at the thought. "I didn't know it was you at first, but eventually I figured it out. You were coming by here every day to check on me."

"H-how'd you know that?" Iruka asked, dumbfounded.

"I could feel you. Your presence isn't hard to place. You aren't like most people. Most people are prying, harsh, secretive, you know, the typical shinobi. You're different. Your nature is comforting, concerned. It was hopeful…" _You gave me hope._

Iruka felt himself blushing at the description. "I should have given you your space, I'm sorry."

Kakashi shook his head, still smiling. "It was nice… to know someone cared."

Iruka felt himself blush, and was glad Kakashi's head was resting on his chest, thus preventing the jounin from noticing. Suddenly, Kakashi sat up.

"Iruka-sensei…"

"Yes?"

"Could, you… um… do me a favor?"

"Of course."

"I need you to do that jutsu again…"

Iruka gave Kakashi a confused look, but nodded, once again going through the seals. His eyes went wide when he realized what Kakashi was going to do. The jounin reached up, and pulled his mask down, exposing his face. They both started blushing almost instantly. Kakashi was familiar with the jutsu, and he was perfectly aware of the fact that Iruka could see his face as well. He ignored his embarrassment, however, and examined his face. It was not at all the same face he himself saw when he looked in the mirror. He saw himself as marred, ugly, damaged, and deserving of his appearance. While, Iruka noticed the scars beneath his mask, they weren't nearly so prominent. They were thin, and faded, almost non-existent, except for the on his left cheek. His cheekbones were high, but not overly prominent. His lips, while thinner than Iruka's, were full, and a shy shade of pink. His jaw was sharp, and slightly feminine. He somehow managed to look both dangerous and delicate. There was more though, and Kakashi was shocked to see it. He wasn't just delicate. He looked… innocent, almost childish, but he had a wisdom and experience about him that prevented the word 'childish' from actually fitting. The innocence remained, however.

The jutsu faded once again, and both men sat in awe. After a moment, Iruka reached his hand out to touch Kakashi's face, without really realizing what he was doing, he was too enthralled. He gently caressed the jounin's cheek it was softer than he had first anticipated. There was no stubble, and the skin was well taken care of. His fingers moved to brush the older man's lip. He ran a finger across the bottom lip, tracing the shape. Kakashi's face was so… perfect, and Iruka was utterly amazed.

Kakashi responded by leaning forward his face was so close to Iruka, that the chuunin could feel Kakashi's breath on his lips, and when Kakashi spoke, their lips just barely touched. "Thank you…" he whispered softly before kissing the chuunin. It started out shy, chaste, but Iruka shifted, kissing Kakashi more passionately, his tongue silently begging Kakashi for entrance. The jounin was hesitant, but allowed Iruka inside his mouth, shyly coaxing Iruka to continue. Eventually, the parted, panting quietly, both blushing hotly. Iruka would have never guessed that Kakashi was so shy. It was cute.

Kakashi looked away blushing a frighteningly bright shade of red. Iruka reached a hand out, and touched his shoulder, he was still blushing himself. "Hey, it's okay Kakashi." The lack of honorific sounded a bit strange to his own ears, but he did like the sound of it.

Kakashi turned to him, still blushing. The jounin didn't actually look up, just turned back to face Iruka's general direction. "Um… well… I guess you know all of my secrets now…" Kakashi was obviously embarrassed.

"Oi, Kashi-kun. We all have secrets." He teased. He winked at the jounin with a devious smile. And Kakashi tilted his head in curiousity.

_What secrets could Iruka possibly have?_

_

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A/N: I would like you all to know, because I find it rather hilarious, that I wrote the majority of this chapter while taking a bath. My lappy came with me to the bathroom, and I seriously got some work done. LOL


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Not mine. Though I would kill to have Kakashi.

Warning: This fic will have lemon in later chapters. It's KakaIru. If you don't like, don't read. And also… don't talk to me. You have to give me time to adjust to your alien ways… I can't promise I'll ever cope.

A/N: Hey guys. So, I think this story is going to end in the next few chapters. I may do a sequel depending on whether or not you guys want to see more, but I'm going to be starting a new fic (another Kakairu because they're fantastic, ne?), and I don't want to have to split my attention, so if there is a sequel I'll start it immediately after my nameless fic is completed. So, let me know what you guys think, ne?

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"Oi, Kashi-kun. We all have secrets." He teased. He winked at the jounin with a devious smile. And Kakashi tilted his head in curiousity.

_What secrets could Iruka possibly have?_

Iruka noticed the gesture, recognized it as Kakashi silent plea for Iruka to explain. "In time." Iruka said quietly. There was still more he wished to discuss with the older man. "You said you knew I coming by here?" Iruka asked, trying not to concentrate on Kakashi's face, looking at it made him blush, and he knew if he stared to long he'd do something stupid again. What was he thinking molesting the man like that?! And the kiss! He mentally slapped himself for his actions. Kakashi was vulnerable, Iruka should not have taken advantage like he did.

"Mm." Kakashi answered, nodding his head slightly in his odd positive response.

"But you weren't here. I checked, how'd—"

"Maa, I was here Iruka-sensei. Just a genjutsu to hide my presence."

Iruka nodded. He was actually rather impressed with that answer, though he figured telling the Copy-Nin that wouldn't really help situations any. "Mm." Iruka nodded contemplatively. "Oi, Kakashi, have you been eating?"

Kakashi blushed a cute shade of pink, though Iruka wasn't sure if it was because of the lack of honorific or because of the question itself. "I, um, I guess I forgot." Kakashi shifted uncomfortably, and Iruka noticed his visible eye was focused on his lips. The chuunin found himself blushing.

"Um, would you like me to cook you something?" Iruka asked quietly. He could feel the atmosphere of the room changing quickly. Neither one of them were particularly focused on the conversation, both were preoccupied by their shared kiss.

Kakashi shook his head. "Not really hungry…"

"You do have to eat Kakashi." Iruka could feel his voice taking on a tone he hadn't intended. He sounded more like he was trying to seduce Kakashi than like he was concerned for the man's well being.

Kakashi nodded, his mouthing hanging open slightly in utter fascination. His eye was still focused on the chuunin's lips. "Eating's good."

It was obvious the jounin wasn't actually paying attention, but for the life of him Iruka couldn't figure out anything better to say. "Yeah… it's good…" He responded, hardly caring that he sounded absolutely ridiculous.

Neither man was surprised when they found their faces less than inches apart, though neither man was exactly sure which had moved. There was an awkward moment where they wanted to ask if it would be okay, but it seemed silly. It was undeniably obvious that they both wanted it, but neither man wanted to be rude. Kakashi had been the one to break. Leaning in ever so slightly and capturing the chuunin's lips in his own. As before, the kiss was chaste and innocent, and left Iruka blushing. This was not what Iruka would have expected from the infamous Copy-Nin. It was soft, tender, _caring._ There was so much emotion in such a chaste kiss Iruka found himself in awe of the man. Sure Iruka had kissed people before. He had, had flings and serious relationships, but he had never had a kiss like this one.

It was strange to get such a profound feeling from such a kiss, and from Kakashi nonetheless! They had only just started becoming close friends, and already he felt as though they had been lovers for years. The kiss was so _perfect_ in such an innocently tender way that Iruka felt as though his long lost love had just come home after a long period of time away. The chuunin wasn't exactly sure what to do with himself. He hadn't ever felt this way before, and something inside him didn't want to stop feeling the way the jounin was making him feel. He wanted to feel _more _of whatever this was. He shifted, and found himself sitting in Kakashi' lap, his legs on either side of Kakashi's.

He pulled off the other man's hitai-ate, and ran his fingers through the man's hair, it was silkier than he would have guessed, the sensations made his fingers tingle slightly. Judging by the jounin's soft moan, Iruka would have guessed Kakashi liked the feeling as well. The chuunin found himself pulling Kakashi closer. His tongue flicking across Kakashi's lower lip pleadingly, begging for entry that Kakashi was not granting. He jounin wrapped his arms around Iruka's waist, pulling the smaller man's body closer to his own, his hands had found their way under the flak jacket, and he was rubbing the chuunin's back tenderly.

Iruka nearly screamed in frustration. The jounin even did this at a lax pace, and Iruka wasn't sure how much more he could take. He involuntarily let out a whimper, and he could feel Kakashi grin into their chaste kiss, pulling away slightly. Kakashi looked at Iruka, almost as though he were searching for something in the tan man's eyes, the smile never left his face, however.

"Maa, Iruka-sensei, you okay?"

Iruka wanted to yell at him. Wanted to slap him and tell him of course he wasn't okay. He was confused, and desperate- for what, he wasn't sure- and concerned. He was being foolish, acting on his impulses like he was. Kakashi needed help, the man was going through something horrible, and Iruka couldn't think about anything other than getting Kakashi to kiss him again, more deeply, more passionately than before. He settled on just blushing like an idiot.

"I-I didn't come here for this. I'm sorry…" Iruka shifted his weight slightly, and immediately wished he hadn't. He had effectively pressed himself up against the jounin in the worst possible way, rubbing their groins together in a torturously teasing manner. Both men blushed, and Iruka found himself biting his lip to restrain the moan that threatened to escape him.

Kakashi simply nodded, and moved one hand to stroke the back of Iruka's neck. It was a strangely sweet gesture that Iruka wouldn't have expected, though the chuunin was beginning to understand that this man wasn't exactly anything he had expected.

"You don't have to stay, if… if you don't want to." There was a hint of sadness in the jounin's voice, though his mood had obviously improved from earlier.

_Well at least I did something right._ Iruka mused, glad his new friend was at least in better spirits. "Hm, I think I should go grab us something to eat. I'll be back shortly though, kay?" Iruka asked, desperate to get some space from Kakashi. This was all happening so fast, and there were so many emotions he had to sort through. Being so close to the jounin just confused him even more. Was this Kakashi's way of dealing with his stress, a random fling? Or was this something deeper, something more serious? Or maybe it was a completely innocent act, and Kakashi was just seeking some form of comfort. And how did Iruka feel about it? Did he want a relationship with Kakashi? He wasn't sure. Based on his perception of the jounin prior to their newly formed bond he would have happily shared his bed with the man, but Kakashi didn't seem like the type Iruka would have sought a romantic relationship with. Lately, however, he found himself liking the silver haired man more and more, and today he had seen a side of Kakashi he would have never expected. There were also all of those feeling the jounin had instilled in him. It wasn't love, was it? Certainly not so early on, but perhaps it was the beginning of love, that feeling he had always heard about. The infamous feeling people were referring to when they said 'you just know.' But if that was the case then why was he so confused? Was it just the situation that was confusing him, or was he just surprised that it Kakashi was 'the one', or was this not love at all, but something else entirely?

Iruka shook the thoughts from his head. He couldn't figure out right now. He needed to get some space from Kakashi, clear his head. He needed to get some distance and consider all of this while he was thinking logically, and not so emotionally. Kakashi hadn't answered him though, he was just staring at Iruka with that same awed expression as though the chuunin was something amazing, almost godly. It made him blush sheepishly.

"Oi, Kakashi, I'll be back soon, ne?"

"Ne." Kakashi answered quietly, his expression not changing in the slightest. If it hadn't been for the fact that Kakashi loosened his hold on him, Iruka would have thought the man hadn't been listening at all. Iruka stood reluctantly from his position on Kakashi's lap. He walked to the door and looked over his shoulder before he left. Kakashi was sitting in the same position on the couch watching Iruka carefully, as though he was reading the younger man's movements. Iruka simply blushed and bowed, leaving the man's apartment in more of a hurry than he had intended.

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A/N: Okay so this chapter didn't go exactly as planned… I didn't mean to completely avoid the obvious question. What are Iruka's secrets? Bum bum bum! It just felt like everything was moving too quickly. So, I decided to slow it down… well… kind of. Hope you enjoyed! Sorry it's so short, no worries, I'm already working on the next chapter... I just felt like it needed an update.

Also, I'm currently looking for a beta for my next story if anyone is interested. ^_^


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: Not mine. Though I would kill to have Kakashi.

Warning: This fic will have lemon in later chapters. It's KakaIru. If you don't like, don't read. And also… don't talk to me. You have to give me time to adjust to your alien ways… I can't promise I'll ever cope.

A/N: Hello everyone! I'd like to start off by thanking you all. I know it's been awhile since I really acknowledged you guys, but you really are why I'm still writing. All my readers and reviewers, you guys are great. I wouldn't update nearly as often without you. I've said it before, but I don't want you all to think anything has changed, you're my inspiration, so thank you.

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Iruka stood reluctantly from his position on Kakashi's lap. He walked to the door and looked over his shoulder before he left. Kakashi was sitting in the same position on the couch watching Iruka carefully, as though he was reading the younger man's movements. Iruka simply blushed and bowed, leaving the man's apartment in more of a hurry than he had intended.

Kakashi watched after the younger man with a cheerful smile. He had to admit the man was cute. When he could no longer feel the chuunin's presence lingering outside his apartment, Kakashi stood and headed to the shower. He hadn't taken a shower since that morning, and despite the fact that he had seen that he wasn't dirty, he still felt filthy, and a shower was, also, the ideal place for him to sort through his thoughts. He had liked the kiss with Iruka, had hoped that there would be many more both in the near and distant future, but everything happened rather suddenly. He hadn't intended for everything to come out all at once like it had. He had always been very good at keeping things to himself, but he let Iruka in just a little, and suddenly the man knew his every secret, had seen his face. Not even Obito had seen his face! And he had been so quick to just show Iruka. He mentally slapped himself for his impatience, and let out a long sigh. What had gotten into him? He wasn't thinking straight. He couldn't be.

He was glad for the hot shower, it calmed him down a bit. The water relaxed his tense muscles and soothed his worried mind. He had been feeling extremely anxious about everything. While he was glad the Iruka had seen his face, he was also worried about the repercussions. He didn't want to scare the man away, and while Kakashi knew he had been harboring feeling for the chuunin for years, as far as Iruka was concerned this all came out of nowhere, and very quickly. He tried to think of a way to explain everything, but no option seemed particularly appealing. He could deny the fact that he had been pining after Iruka for years, but that would mean that Iruka probably wouldn't take their relationship seriously, this of course was assuming that the chuunin would agree to a relationship in the first place, any other option was just too painful to think about, so Kakashi didn't. His other option was to tell Iruka the truth. He sighed at that thought. _Hey Iruka, I've been practically stalking you for years now, I have very naughty daydreams about you regularly. Not that I'm only interested in the sex part. I want to do the emotional part too, though I'm a bit of an emotional retard so I hope you'll be able to help me with that. See, that's why I've been stalking you… because I'm retarded. _No, he doubted that would go over very well.

He nearly slammed his head into the shower wall, what was he going to do? He had been waiting for years for his chance at this, and now that it seemed possible, he realized he had no idea what to do. He wanted to love Iruka, he wanted Iruka to love him, more than anything he wanted Iruka to love him, but he didn't know how to do it; he didn't even know who he could ask for help. Needless to say he was frustrated.

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Iruka walked to a small grocery store he near Kakashi's apartment, and as soon as he entered the place he realized he had no idea what Kakashi liked to eat. He sighed looking around nothing really said 'Kakashi' too him. In fact, the idea of Kakashi forgetting to eat seemed more normal to him right then than the idea of Kakashi eating at all. What the hell was he supposed to buy? He sighed, and walked up and down the aisles aimlessly looking for something he thought Kakashi might actually eat.

The academy teacher nearly jumped for joy when he saw a familiar face, and then chuckled internally noting this would probably be the only time he'd be happy to see that particular face. "Gai-san!" Iruka called trying to get the spandex-clad man's attention. Gai turned and looked at him, brightening immediately.

"Iruka-sensei! How Wonderful it is to see such a Hardworking shinobi taking time out to enjoy the Springtime of Youth! It is Great to see you in such an informal setting Sensei!"

Iruka's eye twitched, but he ignored it. "Gai-san, I was hoping you'd be able to help me with something."

"Of course! I'd be Eternally Unhip to turn down a Comrade in need of my Expertise! How may I aid you in your Endeavors?!"

"Um, right. I just wanted to know if you have any idea what kind of food Kakashi might like."

"My Eternal Rival?! I have heard the two of you have started a Beautiful Friendship! I am glad to see him Blossoming in the Springtime of Youth!"

"Uh, yeah, that didn't really answer my question."

Gai looked vaguely confused, assuming one can be torturously happy and confused at the same time. "Noble Teacher of our Youth and Friend of My Eternal Rival! I will help you in your Youthful Quest! Kakashi does not like tempura!"

Iruka raised an eyebrow. "While that does narrow down the possibilities, that also doesn't really answer my question… thanks for your help though, I'm sure I'll find something…"

"Yosh! I am glad to be of service!"

Iruka gave Gai a look that was somewhere between annoyed and confused. He shrugged it off waving goodbye, and continued his walk down the aisles to find something to cook for dinner. He could tell by the look on Gai's face that the jounin wasn't expecting them to part so soon, but Iruka had told Kakashi he wouldn't be long, and even one of Gai's 'short' speeches would have prevented that from happening. He felt a little bad about leaving Gai so abruptly and promised himself he'd be sure to spend a little bit of extra time with the man the next time they crossed paths, and then he found himself hoping that wouldn't be soon.

Frustrated with himself for not being courteous enough to ask the older man what he actually liked to eat, Iruka gave up and went with something incredibly safe. Ramen. It was good, cheap, and quick. Plus, he loved ramen, and he'd seen Kakashi eat it on several occasions so obviously he wasn't repulsed by it at least. Ichikaru's it was. He sighed at his pathetic attempt to comfort the man. Cheap food and free lap dances… _Okay, that maybe that wasn't the best phrasing…_

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Iruka walked at a leisurely pace back to Kakashi's apartment. He had left to clear his head and give himself a chance to think, and while he succeed in clearing his head, he had yet to put any thought into the situation. He took a deep breath. Well, Kakashi had been the one to initiate the kiss, or at least he thought so, everything seemed to be so mutual it was hard to tell. He grumbled to himself slightly annoyed with his lack of conviction. Assuming that was true, and Kakashi had indeed been the one to initiate the kiss he at least didn't have to worry about overstepping bounds. Well, the whole semi-lap dance thing was a bit of an invasion of personal space, but Kakashi didn't seem to mind. So, he was pretty sure they were both comfortable with a physical relationship, hell they seemed to welcome it. They may as well have had a parade, so at least he could be sure about that, but was this something more than just sex? Kakashi seemed to want to slow things down a bit before he left. Was that him changing his mind or was that Kakashi's strange way of telling him he didn't only want sex?

He sighed in frustration. He wasn't getting anywhere. He would have been better off just asking Kakashi himself instead of trying to piece together pieces of an impossibly difficult puzzle. He decided to focus on questions he could answer himself. How did he feel about all of this? That question seemed to be the most difficult to answer. Kakashi was attractive of course, and their short friendship had been going quite well, so obviously he liked to be around him, but did he want to have a serious relationship? The answer was obvious, so obvious in fact that the chuunin rethought it several times. Why hadn't he noticed he had such feelings for Kakashi before? It didn't seem logical that he could go from vaguely disliking the jounin to wanting to be in a committed relationship with the man in only a few days time. Maybe he had wanted Kakashi all along, but it was easier to ignore when Kakashi was acting like an emotionless void. He mentally shrugged, it didn't much matter. He still had to figure out how Kakashi felt about the whole thing. He sighed, it was simple he just had to ask Kakashi, and find out. Easy.

He knocked on Kakashi's door, and waited. There was a nervous feeling in the pit of Iruka's stomach. He hadn't felt so anxious since he was a hormonal teenager with a crush. He sighed heavily, trying to calm himself, and braced for the door to open… It didn't. He shifted his weight slightly and knocked again, and just when he was about to give up he heard Kakashi fumbling around inside, and the man called for Iruka to let himself in. The chuunin sighed and pushed the door open slowly, peeking inside. He didn't see anyone.

"Oi, Kakashi?"

"Um, I'll be out in a second, ne?" Kakashi answered. Iruka could still hear him fumbling around somewhere out of sight. He shrugged and walked into the small kitchen, placing the bags on the table, and then took a seat in the living room to wait for Kakashi to emerge from wherever he was.

Meanwhile, Kakashi was stumbling around in his bedroom trying to find something to wear. He didn't want to wear a uniform they were all dirty, no matter how often Kakashi washed them, so he through that idea out the window, which left very few options. Frustrated, Kakashi sighed and put on the only suitable outfit he could find, and made a mental note to buy more clothes. He stepped into the living room wearing a loose pair of dark blue sweat pants that hung low on his hips and were loose around his feet. He was also wearing a sleeveless black shirt that was just tight enough to hint at the muscles hiding beneath the fabric. His hair was still wet and the water weighed it down, covering his left eye in a manner that Iruka found to be both adorable and menacing, which was strange, but it suited Kakashi well. The older man hadn't bothered putting his mask back on, Iruka had seen his face already, and they were going to be eating anyway. There was no point. Needless to say, Kakashi's appearance had Iruka blushing like a lovesick schoolgirl.

"Um, Kakashi, I wasn't really sure what you liked to eat, so I got you barbecue pork ramen. I'd seen you eat it before, I hope that's okay." Iruka was trying, and failing miserably at trying not to sound shy.

Kakashi just smiled sweetly and walked into the kitchen where he smelled the food. "That's fine."

Iruka sighed a bit in relief, and followed the Copy-Nin into the small kitchen to eat. That sat at the small table and ate in silence for the beginning of the meal before the quiet tone started to grate on Iruka's nerves. They had too much to discuss to just sit there silently and eat as though nothing had changed between them.

"Oi, um, what foods do you like? You know, in case this ever happens again, I'd like to know what you eat." Iruka smiled, blushing furiously at the implication that this might happen again.

Kakashi shrugged. "This really is fine."

Iruka sighed in frustration. The simplest things were impossible to figure out when talking to Kakashi. "But is there… anything else you might like to eat… some time…" Iruka couldn't help but feel like he was trying to ask Kakashi out on a date, when really he just wanted to know what the hell the man actually liked to eat. The dating part would be dealt with later.

"Maa, are you flirting with me Iruka-sensei?" Kakashi's voice was calm and slightly coy, but the slight blush on his cheeks told the chuunin that Kakashi was actually rather embarrassed.

"I, um, I didn't… uh…" Iruka's stuttering was cut off by Kakashi's quiet chuckle.

"I like eggplant miso. And fish. I'm not particularly picky." Kakashi admitted, still smiling cheerfully.

Iruka nodded staring at his food. There were things he had intended to ask the jounin that now made him uncomfortable to even think about. _So much for easy…_ he mused.

"Um, so what is this? Between us?" Kakashi asked quietly more to his ramen than to the man sitting across from him.

"I-I don't know. What do you want it to be?" Neither man actually looked at the other as they spoke.

"I, um… I don't know." Kakashi actually looked up from his bowel. "I just… " He sighed trying to find the words to convey his feelings for the other man. "I just don't want to be alone anymore, and the only person I want to be not alone with is you… if you'll let me…"

Iruka blushed a deep red, but did not look up. _Did Kakashi just ask me to be with him… in an extremely awkwardly worded way? _ "Is this just… Um, physical to you?" the chuunin needed to know, he didn't want to invest all of himself into a relationship with Kakashi, if that's not what the older man was interested in.

"I, um, well…" Kakashi seriously considered explaining the emotional retard thing to the man, but decided that would get him nothing but a confused stare. "I don't want it to be… I mean… I do think about that, but I want more from this… erm… I… uh, I want to be with you in any way you'll have me. And make babies… only not…"

Iruka relaxed at that, chuckling at Kakashi's obvious nervousness. He wouldn't have expected Kakashi to be nervous about something so small, especially not after the stories he'd heard about the man's sexual exploits, but the more he got to know Kakashi the more he started to suspect that those rumors were completely false. Iruka smiled cheerfully at the silver haired shinobi. "Well, Hatake Kakashi, we are now officially courting and as my boyfriend it is your duty to remove your shirt and come here. I have molesting to do."

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A/N: Okay, either I'm way too obsessed, or I'm crazy, but I think barbecue pork ramen is the kind Kakashi eats… the only time I remember mentioning what kind of ramen he's eating, am I wrong? Does anyone know? … I'm trying to be at least vaguely accurate with my story, so if I'm being a deuche just tell me, and I'll fix it… Really the question I ought to be asking is: why did I bother mentioning what kind it was if I wasn't sure… I have problems.

I would also like to apologize for how slow moving this chapter was. Holy crap, it's boring. Sorry. But hey Iruka's secret gets revealed in the next chapter, that's not boring right? As always, I've already got that started, so hopefully it won't be long until it's posted ne?


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: Not mine. Though I would kill to have Kakashi.

Warning: This fic will have lemon in later chapters. It's KakaIru. If you don't like, don't read. And also… don't talk to me. You have to give me time to adjust to your alien ways… I can't promise I'll ever cope.

A/N: Okay so this is in response to one of the reviews I received (a friggin' ridiculously wonderful review might I add, thank you so much ichkak). Iruka is not going to have ridiculous Bloodline Limits or really super special jutsu. He's a chuunin for a reason, and while it's nice to think that maybe there's something more, I'd prefer not to make him the most powerful ninja in the village. He's good at what he does, and that should be enough.

Ooookay, right moving on, um, this is coming to an end I'm afraid, it is likely that there will only be one or two chapters after this, and possibly a sequel, again that's up to my lovely reviewers, I almost worship you guys, you're fantastic. Thank you so much.

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Iruka smiled cheerfully at the silver haired shinobi. "Well, Hatake Kakashi, we are now officially courting and as my boyfriend it is your duty to remove your shirt and come here. I have molesting to do."

Kakashi made a noise akin to a snort. "Perhaps later." There was a slight giggle evident in his voice. The jounin then took a keen interest in his meal, staring contemplatively at his bowl as though it held the answer to an impossibly difficult question. He ate slowly and silently, and Iruka followed suit, feeling the heaviness of the atmosphere. Something was plaguing Kakashi, and the chuunin wasn't sure if he wanted to know what it was.

Taking a deep breath Iruka looked up at the Copy-Nin. "Are you alright?" He asked slowly, regretting the words even as he said them.

"Oh, fine." Kakashi blushed realizing his mood had shifted dramatically and for no apparent reason. "I was just thinking… You said you had secrets, and…" He sighed. "Never mind, I'm just being childish."

"I'll show you mine if you show me yours first?" Iruka inquired, knowing exactly what Kakashi was thinking. He had shared his most personal secrets, now it was Iruka's turn. Kakashi simply blushed and nodded in response, realizing how silly it sounded. Iruka sighed. "You shouldn't be embarrassed for wondering, you have a right to know." Iruka admitted. "I know how hard it must have been for you to share so much of yourself with me… to trust me so thoroughly with such intimate things, but… I don't know if I'm ready for that."

Kakashi nodded. He understood the chuunin's feelings completely. He had kept secrets from even his dearest friends, even from Obito. He could not blame the man for not wanting to spill his deepest darkest secrets with him, especially when they had only just started getting to know each other. Acknowledging the fact that one day, those secrets would be addressed was enough, or so he told himself. In reality he couldn't help the pang of hurt he felt when Iruka refused to give himself over to Kakashi as completely as the jounin had done for him. He sat quietly and finished his meal trying to ignore the hurt feeling that was tying his stomach in knots.

Iruka could sense Kakashi's sadness, and he could only hope that the older man understood his hesitation. He hadn't meant to hurt the other man, he just wasn't ready yet. It was too soon. He finished his meal in mirrored contemplative silence, and helped Kakashi clean when they were done. Nothing was said for a long stretch of time, both absorbed in their own thoughts. The quiet was surprisingly comfortable, given the awkwardness of the thoughts that were stealing the conversation.

There was an uncomfortable moment when the cleaning was done, and they both just stood in the middle of the kitchen unsure what to do with themselves. Was Iruka supposed to leave now? Should they talk more? Neither really knew the answers.

Deciding standing in the middle of his kitchen staring at his feet for the rest of eternity was not exactly what he had in mind when he decided he was going to try to spend the rest of his life with Iruka, Kakashi finally spoke up. "So, um, that training session, you still up for helping me with that?"

"Oh, uh, sure. When… did you want to, um… do that?"

Kakashi shrugged noncommittally. "Whenever's good for you. You have the missions room and those little hellions to deal with. I have three kids that are perfectly content ignoring my very existence. I'll work around your schedule."

Iruka chuckled slightly. "They are not hellions, they're just… children."

The jounin raised a suspicious eyebrow. "Children armed with deadly weapons, training, and bad ideas. Hellions."

Iruka simply chuckled, unable to refute Kakashi's logic. "Well, um, I don't have to work in the missions room tomorrow if that'll work for you. I know it's kinda short notice."

"That'll do fine." Kakashi sounded bored, the same tone Iruka had gotten so used to hearing from the older man. At least Kakashi wasn't so completely different from what he'd originally perceived him to be, it was comforting in a way.

"Great. I'll see you tomorrow." Iruka grinned, taking that as his cue to go rest up for the day ahead.

Iruka stepped toward Kakashi wrapping his arms loosely around the man's waist, and resting his head on the taller man's chest. Kakashi returned the embrace, wrapping his arms around Iruka's neck and resting his head on the smaller man's. They stood there holding each other for what seemed like a long time before Kakashi straightened his back and looked down at Iruka with a smile. He gently lifted the chuunin's chin with a finger, and looked into the chocolate colored eyes with what Iruka could only describe as contentment, but whatever it was he saw in the jounin's own eyes went deeper than that.

Kakashi simply smiled and placed a kiss on Iruka's forehead. "Jaa ne." his voice was soft and had a sweetness to it that gave Iruka blush slightly.

"Um, bye." Iruka stepped away, and almost instantly longed to return to the warmth that Kakashi offered. He gave a short bow and scurried out of Kakashi's apartment in a fit of embarrassment and shyness. Kakashi simply watched after him smiling.

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The next day Iruka woke up early, and with more excitement about the day ahead than he had felt in years. His school day went by quickly and gave him much less grief than usual, though he supposed that was due to his bizarrely cheerful attitude, which always seemed to scare his students into compliance. The training session with Kakashi went surprisingly well.

Typically their training sessions together consisted of Kakashi preaching about teamwork, and then ignoring his team, Naruto and Sasuke almost killing each other over some insignificant detail, and Sakura doing nothing but calling Sasuke's name and punching Naruto for no apparent reason, and Iruka scolded everyone present for their behavior. However, this time went much better, though that might have been because Kakashi preached to his students about teamwork and then ignored them while he and Iruka proceeded to sneak shy kisses whenever the students were too distracted to notice.

Their relationship grew slowly from that point. Over the next few weeks they spent a lot of time together. Sneaking quick kisses when they could, and blushing furiously. Their relationship moved on, as did their lives, and they both tried to ignore the question that seemed to haunt them both: What was Iruka's secret? While they were capable of spending time together without addressing the topic -hell they not only spent time together they thoroughly enjoyed each other's company- the question still plagued their thoughts. No matter how much Kakashi learned about Iruka, there was still a feeling of betrayal that he couldn't shake, that Iruka didn't trust him enough to share all of himself. Iruka, on the other hand, spent the weeks trying to find the courage to tell Kakashi exactly what he had been hiding.

Iruka had made it a habit to stay at Kakashi's whenever the man went on a mission. It was the easiest way to find out when the man had actually made it home, it also helped the jounin calm down faster, and while Kakashi still went on cleaning rampages every time he got home, the ferocity of said rampages had begun to lessen, as did the jounin's chances of developing hypothermia while in the shower. Iruka kept track of the time the other man spent in the bathroom, and wouldn't allow Kakashi to sit in the freezing cold shower until his toes turned a frightening shade of blue. The chuunin also helped Kakashi clean any of the blood he had managed to trail through the apartment on his way to the bathroom, the 'dirt' that was left after that Iruka left for Kakashi to clean, whilst trying to help the jounin realize there was no dirt.

On one such night, Iruka was curled up in Kakashi's bed, staring up at the ceiling, drifting in and out of consciousness as sleep threatened to take him. Kakashi had been scheduled to return from his mission two days prior, and Iruka was beginning to worry. Just as he started losing his battle with sleep he heard a thumping sound in the kitchen, and immediately recognized it as the sound of Kakashi letting himself fall through the window there. Iruka sat up and opened the door. He didn't move from the room, however, he simply stood in the doorway to assess exactly how injured Kakashi was. The jounin stumbled through the hall past his bedroom giving Iruka an opportunity to evaluate the situation. Kakashi didn't seem to have any open wounds. His chakra levels were low, but not dangerously. From what Iruka could see, Kakashi seemed to have had a rather successful mission. The chuunin breathed a sigh of relief, and looked at the clock noting the time. He stayed up and waited for time to pass, occupying himself doing small things, and starting on the cleaning until Kakashi ran out of time in the shower. Iruka was sure to cook him a small meal, just as he always did, and waited.

Kakashi's time ran out, and Iruka knocked on the bathroom door, leaning against it, and listening closely. "Kakashi, you really should get out of the shower now. The water is cold." He listened for a response, but heard none. That was typical. He simply walked back to the kitchen, and put away the cleaning supplies, waiting another five minutes before returning to the bathroom door. "Oi, Kakashi, I've made you something to eat." Again there was no answer, not even the sound of the water turning off, or the slight squeaking sound of flesh on tile as Kakashi stood. There was no change at all, so Iruka felt out with his chakra to make sure Kakashi was still in the bathroom. He was. He just wasn't responding.

"Kakashi, I'm going to come in okay?" He felt extremely uncomfortable invading the man's privacy like he was, but he had to do something. He opened the door, moved to the shower, pushing the curtain aside and saw Kakashi sitting in the fetal position, tears streaming down his face as the water hit him. He didn't even seem to notice Iruka was there. Iruka took the opportunity to make sure he hadn't missed any fatal injuries. Kakashi had a few minor scratches, but nothing serious. He would live.

He knelt down, put a hand to Kakashi's face, gently caressing his cheek. The jounin tensed slightly, but was otherwise unresponsive. Iruka noted that the water was ice cold, but Kakashi wasn't shivering as Iruka would have expected. He just sat hugging himself, lost in his thoughts. "Kashi, I'm going to turn off the water, it's cold." The chuunin whispered softly, and reached over to turn off the water, but Kakashi's hand shot out to stop him.

"Leave it on, it helps… makes the screams a little quieter." Kakashi didn't look up as he spoke.

"Kashi, tell me what happened." Iruka spoke softly, as he rubbed the other man's back slowly.

Kakashi held out his hands, examining them carefully. "A missing-nin from Suna was spotted in Konohagure. It was simple. Capture or kill. But they didn't seem to know he had a kid with him. Just a little kid. She couldn't have been older than seven." He shook his head. "Everything happened wrong. I should have known…"

"What happened to her Kakashi?"

"He killed her. I couldn't even stop him. She was dead in an instant, and it was my fault. He killed her because of me, because I refused to let him go."

Iruka shook his head. "It's not your fault. He would have killed her anyway. You did everything you could."

Kakashi laughed. "I killed him. He could have had invaluable information, Ibiki would have loved to talk to him, but I didn't bother trying to capture him. Killed him. I didn't just kill him either… I tore him apart… and there was so much blood, and…" Kakashi took a shuddering breath.

"Kakashi…" Iruka started slowly. He had known he would have to tell the jounin sooner or later, and while he was still hesitant, now seemed like an ideal time. "Do you know why I became a teacher?" Kakashi didn't answer, but Iruka hadn't really expected him to. "After I became a chuunin I was sent on a mission, it wasn't particularly special, at least not on paper, to be honest I don't really even remember what the mission was, it never got completed. Everything went wrong. We ended up getting ambushed, but the ninja weren't that skilled, we defeated them easily…" Iruka took a deep breath and buried his face in his hands. "But they were just decoys. Pre-genins taught to use henge no jutsu. They were just kids, and we killed them…"

Kakashi stood, moving to Iruka and holding him closely as the chuunin wept.

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A/N: Phew. It's done. That secret gave me an absurd amount of grief. That writer's block from a few chapters back, this is what it was over. My poor Beta was up with me until the wee hours of the morning trying to help me come up with that. Sorry if it sucks, it was much better than the original plan. Thanks for reading!


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: Not mine. Though I would kill to have Kakashi.

Warning: This fic will have lemon in **THIS** chapter. It's KakaIru. If you don't like, don't read. And also… don't talk to me. You have to give me time to adjust to your alien ways… I can't promise I'll ever cope. You've been warned.

A/N: As seen above the lemon is in this chapter. Hope you guys don't think it's too soon. I was a little hesitant about putting it in this chapter, but it fit really well. Um, depending on what you guys think this maybe the last chapter. If you want a sequel I'll just stop it here, otherwise I'll do one more chappy to wrap everything up. Alright, let's get this started.

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"They were just decoys. Pre-genins taught to use henge no jutsu. They were just kids, and we killed them…" Kakashi stood, moving to Iruka and holding him closely as the chuunin wept.

There was no need for the chuunin to explain further. Kakashi understood. He had become a teacher to teach young children how to protect themselves, not only against attacking ninja, but also against anyone who would want to manipulate them the way the children he had encountered were. Perhaps that's why the man made such an amazing teacher.

Iruka wept softly into Kakashi's chest, the jounin didn't even notice he was crying with him, tears falling slowly down his own face. There was a vast sadness in the room, but there was also a sense of comfort and caring, that soothed them both until their tears dried, but they continued holding each other not saying anything, just being comforted.

After what seemed like hours, Iruka looked up at Kakashi with sad eyes, the older man looked vaguely apologetic and caring. Iruka closed his eyes and kissed the maskless Kakashi, something he had become rather accustom to. The kiss was shy and soothing, a timid 'thank you' for the comfort Kakashi had given him. The jounin returned the show of gratitude, kissing the chuunin back with a passionate tenderness that was new to Iruka, almost needy. The kiss quickly elevated to something more heated and desperate. Without much of a warning Kakashi stood, and took Iruka with him, carrying the chuunin. While the teacher wasn't exactly sure where they were going he had a guess, and he felt butterflies fill his stomach in anticipation.

Kakashi gently laid him on the bed after their short walk to the bedroom. Iruka simply pulled Kakashi down on top of himself and continued where they had left off, kissing the man deeply and letting his hands roam over the naked, muscular chest and back above him, reveling in how the tense muscles seemed to relax slightly to his touch, only to tense again in what Iruka could only guess was expectation. The jounin busied himself removing Iruka's clothing rather methodically. His pace was unhurried, but Iruka could sense the excitement radiating off of him. First went the hair tie that held the chuunin's hair together loosely at the nape of his neck. Kakashi's hand slipped hesitantly under the other man's shirt, tugging slightly before he pulled away, panting slightly. Iruka saw a curiosity in the jounin's face, but couldn't quite decipher it in his haze. Kakashi gave the shirt another small tug, and Iruka was hit with the realization that Kakashi was asking permission. Even after all that they had shared together, Kakashi was still shy. It was endearing really. Iruka simply nodded, and went to work taking off his own pants to speed the process along.

Once Iruka was free of all of his clothing, he looked up at Kakashi grinning, and he was sure his eyes were full of lust and excitement. Kakashi, however, looked down at him with a strong sense of caring… no, it was deeper than that, but Iruka still didn't know exactly how to classify it, just that it made him shiver slightly and the already present butterflies seemed to multiply. There was also an uncertainness about Kakashi that stemmed from his shy demeanor, but Iruka could tell that he was the cause of part of that uncertainty as well. The jounin didn't want to hurt him, or to scare him away, Iruka reached out a hand to caress Kakashi's face gently, his action only served to intensify the deep emotion in the jounin's eyes, and Iruka felt himself tremble slightly.

Kakashi leaned down and kissed Iruka deeply, one hand gently caressing the chuunin's thigh while the other held his head, pulling him closer into the emotional kiss. Iruka felt himself moan quietly into the kiss, Kakashi simply smiled and continued to explore Iruka's mouth with his tongue, slowly, precisely, and Iruka couldn't help the second moan Kakashi pulled out of him with his ministrations. There was something about the jounin's slow pace that made everything more sensual, more meaningful. He wasn't hurried to get to the point, as most of his past lovers had been, he wanted something more from this, and the chuunin felt his heart flutter at the thought.

Kakashi pulled away again, finding the chunnin's neck and kissing, nibbling, and sucking there noting particularly sensitive areas and grinning at Irukas reactions as he moaned in pleasure. The anticipation Kakashi had instilled in him had made his whole body more sensitive, even the slightest contact was giving him shivers, and his ignored erection was beginning to protest. He was painfully hard, and didn't know how much more of the teasing he'd be able to stand before he exploded of mere anticipation, but Kakashi didn't seem to notice. He just continued on his leisurely pace, trailing kisses down Iruka's chest until he reached a nipple, with the vague hesitation that accompanied everything the jounin did, he took it into his mouth sucking, and nipping lightly. Iruka bit his lip, and fought to hold back the moan rising in his throat, his whole body trembled, and his hands found their way to Kakashi's silver locks, burying his fingers in them and massaging the jounin's head as he silently begged Kakashi to continue.

Kakashi complied of course, continuing his ministrations as his hands, once again began to wonder, exploring every inch of his chuunin with light caresses that were giving Iruka goosebumps. Finally Kakashi's hand found Iruka's member, his fingers gingerly caressing the sensitive organ. The chuunin's hips jerked forward, encouraging Kakashi to continue. The brunette released Kakashi's silver hair, to once again roam over the taught muscles of the man's back and chest. Kakashi grinned noting that Iruka's breath was now coming in uneven pants, and the chuunin's eyes had fluttered closed. Kakashi paused for a moment, unsure of himself, but seeing how well Iruka had been responding to things so far he hesitantly reached under his pillow and pulled out a small bottle of lube.

When Kakashi's hand stopped moving, Iruka's eyes opened, half lidded and curious. When he saw Kakashi with the small bottle of lube, looking more hesitant than ever, he grinned to himself.

"It's okay Kashi." He whispered reassuringly, letting his hand draw small circle's on the jounin's chest.

Kakashi nodded, and opened the bottle, coating two fingers in the substance, and repositioned himself between Iruka's legs. Iruka, without any prompting from Kakashi lifted one leg and hooked it over the jounin's shoulder in an encouraging gesture. With a deep sigh, Kakashi slowly slide one finger into Iruka, being particularly careful not to hurt the man. The chuunin bit his lip, and his back arched slightly, his whole body begging for more, but Kakashi took his time sliding his finger in and out slowly until there was little resistance. He inserted a second finger and repeated the process, this time searching for something. When Iruka cried out, back arching, and body trembling, Kakashi knew he had found it. He kissed the chuunin on the forehead, sweetly, smiling all the while.

Removing the two fingers, Kakashi proceeded to coat his own member in lube, allowing Iruka to ogle as he did so. Kakashi was of good size and girth, but not so big Iruka was half tempted to run away screaming, just the size he'd have wet dreams about for, likely, the rest of his life. Kakashi blushed at the attention he received, and Iruka simply smiled in response.

Kakashi positioned himself at Iruka's entrance, looking down at the chuunin with that curious stare, silently asking permission. Iruka simply nodded, and pressed himself back against Kakashi to emphasize the statement. Kakashi slid into him slowly, letting out a long, shuddering breath as he did so. Iruka wrapped his free leg around Kakashi's waist, looked up at the jounin expectantly. Kakashi moved slowly, sliding almost all the way out before pushing back in at an easy pace, taking him time as though he was trying to get this right. Iruka's whole body was trembling, begging for more, but Kakashi kept his pace slow and deliberate, until the chuunin gave another small cry, and Kakashi felt the muscles around him tighten. With a grin Kakashi sped his pace up only slightly, but his thrusts were forceful and precise, his aim perfect. Iruka was calling out his name, clutching to him tightly ad Kakashi's breath began to hitch.

Biting his lip Iruka rocked his hips back against Kakashi's falling into rhythm easily. Kakashi let out a low groan, and reached a hand down to pump Iruka's neglected member. He felt Iruka's muscles tighten around him once again, and knew he wouldn't last much longer. The chuunin was too tight, and the noises the brunette made were driving him over the edge more quickly than he had expected.

Kakashi leaned forward kissing Iruka's necked softly before whispering in his ear, "I love you."

Iruka's eyes went wide, and before he had a chance to consider the words, let alone react he felt his body convulsing in climax, and the only thing he could think to say was Kakashi's name. The jounin followed suit, spilling himself inside of Iruka as he called his lover's name, and collapsed on top of the younger man. There was a long moment where neither bothered to move, they simply lay there trying to calm their breathing and regain control of their limbs. Finally, Kakashi sat up enough to kiss Iruka on the forehead once again as he pulled out, and rolled over next to the man rather than on top of him. He closed his eyes and sighed before turning to look at the chuunin, a grin in his eye, but his face looked serious and content.

"I love you too." Iruka said finally, once his thoughts had settled. That had been the emotion he hadn't been able to place, the deep feeling of need he had for the man. There were still questions he wanted to ask, but he understood more certainly now, why his relationship with Kakashi was so much different than any other he'd had. Why what they had just shared together was so much more special than anything he'd done with his past partners.

Kakashi simply smiled, and wrapped an arm around his lover. There were still messes that needed to be cleaned up, but for the first time in his life, Kakashi didn't care. The only thing he cared about was the man next to him, everything else seemed petty. Everything else could wait.

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A/N: Okay… so… I originally intended to have Kakashi be uke for at least their first time, but for some reason couldn't seem to get it to work. (There was oriniginally about three paragraphs worth of explanation here, but I think that's a bit much, so just know that Kakashi was originally going to be uke). Anyway, we've finally made it to the ending stages. Let me know what you think. Sequel? No sequel? I'll shut up now. Thanks for reading. And thanks to all of you who review! You really do mean the world to me.

Oh, I would also like to apologize for the tardiness of this short little chapter. My internet went out yesterday, and I couldn't post it. Sorry.


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